New This Week: 3 Easygoing Living Rooms
Soft colors, durable furniture and a sense of calm make these rooms stylishly inviting
Most people have been to a house where the living room felt off-limits, either directly or indirectly. In this age, when space is tight and lives are busy, living rooms should be inviting, comfortable and able to stand the wear and tear of daily use from the homeowners as well as friends and family. Here, three casual-cool living spaces beckon you to go ahead and look, have a seat and put your feet up while you’re at it.
Designer secret: “Balance,” Crestin says. “We tried to thoughtfully repeat tones without being too redundant. Pulling the teal from the rug into the furniture and art in different forms and textures we think unified the space.”
Also on the team: Mikaela Capobianco (assisted in design); Curran & Sons Construction
Console and built-in: custom, North Shore Interiors; leather pulls: Turnstyle Designs; rug, sofa and coffee table: via Kristina Crestin Design; leather chair: Cisco Brothers, from Mohr & McPherson; teal chair: Cisco Brothers from Mohr & McPherson, with Com fabric from Kravet; Diana floor lamp: Visual Comfort; bamboo chair: Selamat Designs; large mobile chandelier in bronze: West Elm; water photo: Resalah Min Taht Elmaa 005 by Max Wagner; fringe pillow: Tufted Ariany, Anthropologie; striped pillow fabric: Kirkby Design; ivory mud cloth pillow: HomegirlCollection; black pillow cover: PillowsByElissa; pottery on TV console: West Elm; tray on coffee table: Terrain
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Also on the team: Mikaela Capobianco (assisted in design); Curran & Sons Construction
Console and built-in: custom, North Shore Interiors; leather pulls: Turnstyle Designs; rug, sofa and coffee table: via Kristina Crestin Design; leather chair: Cisco Brothers, from Mohr & McPherson; teal chair: Cisco Brothers from Mohr & McPherson, with Com fabric from Kravet; Diana floor lamp: Visual Comfort; bamboo chair: Selamat Designs; large mobile chandelier in bronze: West Elm; water photo: Resalah Min Taht Elmaa 005 by Max Wagner; fringe pillow: Tufted Ariany, Anthropologie; striped pillow fabric: Kirkby Design; ivory mud cloth pillow: HomegirlCollection; black pillow cover: PillowsByElissa; pottery on TV console: West Elm; tray on coffee table: Terrain
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2. Warm Metropolitan
Designer: Jennifer Levy of CAVdesign
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Size: 188 square feet (17.4 square meters)
Homeowners’ request: Help them decide what to keep, what to add and where to place a mix of furniture brought from a smaller apartment. Also, bring a warmer, more lived-in feeling to the somewhat cold modern space.
Casualness: Sectional sofa. Mix of natural materials, plants and new textures, such as the sweater knit pillows. Warm gold and orange rug in comfortable wool.
Other special features: Bookshelves with personal mementos and organic pieces, such as coral and wood sculptures. Artificial tree.
Designer secret: “I’ve learned that keeping everything open can make a space feel less cozy,” designer Jennifer Levy says. “The styling of the bookshelves also made a huge difference. I suggest you remove almost everything, and then create sections with elements such as vertical books, horizontal books with objects like bowls or small vases on top, stand-alone objects like small sculptures or organic pieces, and leaning frames. Scatter these various elements throughout and you can’t go wrong.”
Also on the team: Gael Georges (photographer); Manhattan Pressurized Walls; Lauren Devault (design associate)
Wall paint: Metropolitan AF-690, Benjamin Moore; rug: Crate & Barrel; shelves: Atlas Industries; pillows: Candelabra and Home Decorators Collection; sofa: Dune; drapes: custom; throw blanket: West Elm; table: AllModern
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Designer: Jennifer Levy of CAVdesign
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Size: 188 square feet (17.4 square meters)
Homeowners’ request: Help them decide what to keep, what to add and where to place a mix of furniture brought from a smaller apartment. Also, bring a warmer, more lived-in feeling to the somewhat cold modern space.
Casualness: Sectional sofa. Mix of natural materials, plants and new textures, such as the sweater knit pillows. Warm gold and orange rug in comfortable wool.
Other special features: Bookshelves with personal mementos and organic pieces, such as coral and wood sculptures. Artificial tree.
Designer secret: “I’ve learned that keeping everything open can make a space feel less cozy,” designer Jennifer Levy says. “The styling of the bookshelves also made a huge difference. I suggest you remove almost everything, and then create sections with elements such as vertical books, horizontal books with objects like bowls or small vases on top, stand-alone objects like small sculptures or organic pieces, and leaning frames. Scatter these various elements throughout and you can’t go wrong.”
Also on the team: Gael Georges (photographer); Manhattan Pressurized Walls; Lauren Devault (design associate)
Wall paint: Metropolitan AF-690, Benjamin Moore; rug: Crate & Barrel; shelves: Atlas Industries; pillows: Candelabra and Home Decorators Collection; sofa: Dune; drapes: custom; throw blanket: West Elm; table: AllModern
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3. Soft and Soothing
Designer: Miranda Cullen of Duet Design Group
Location: Denver
Homeowners’ request: Create a laid-back living space to showcase a collection of local art.
Casualness: Soft color palette and furnishings. Slipcovered chairs. Poufs. Fireplace.
Other special features: Built-in cabinetry and bookshelves.
Why the design works: “The built-in cabinetry was key to making this room come together, both in style and function,” designer Miranda Cullen says. “The soft overall color palette allowed for a playful addition of pops of bright color. It was important that this room exude happiness and the personality of this young family.”
Designer secret: “We needed to accommodate seating for the whole family, so we paid close attention to the scale of the soft furnishings,” Cullen says. “Poufs provide not only a place to put your feet up, but can be used for additional seating.”
Also on the team: Martin Shea Millwork and Kevin Shaw of Shaw Painting (built-in cabinetry)
Chandelier and floor lamps: Visual Comfort; rug: Jaipur; sofa and side chairs: Lee Industries; console: Stanley Furniture; cocktail table: Oomph; poufs: Moss Studio collection, Codarus
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Designer: Miranda Cullen of Duet Design Group
Location: Denver
Homeowners’ request: Create a laid-back living space to showcase a collection of local art.
Casualness: Soft color palette and furnishings. Slipcovered chairs. Poufs. Fireplace.
Other special features: Built-in cabinetry and bookshelves.
Why the design works: “The built-in cabinetry was key to making this room come together, both in style and function,” designer Miranda Cullen says. “The soft overall color palette allowed for a playful addition of pops of bright color. It was important that this room exude happiness and the personality of this young family.”
Designer secret: “We needed to accommodate seating for the whole family, so we paid close attention to the scale of the soft furnishings,” Cullen says. “Poufs provide not only a place to put your feet up, but can be used for additional seating.”
Also on the team: Martin Shea Millwork and Kevin Shaw of Shaw Painting (built-in cabinetry)
Chandelier and floor lamps: Visual Comfort; rug: Jaipur; sofa and side chairs: Lee Industries; console: Stanley Furniture; cocktail table: Oomph; poufs: Moss Studio collection, Codarus
See more of this home
More
Good Furniture Combos for Tight Living Rooms
9 Fashionably Cool Living Room Color Palettes
Designer: Kristina Crestin
Location: North Shore near Boston
Homeowners’ request: Add coastal style; redesign a generic built-in TV cabinet. “I thought a more West Coast coastal vibe with some eclectic items and textures layered in would be a great way to approach the space,” says designer Kristina Crestin, who also created a recess and a custom built-in console to house the audiovisual equipment.
Casualness: A reclaimed wood coffee table can take the wear and tear of propped-up feet, while a wool flat-weave rug can handle plenty of foot traffic. Leather chair.
Other special features: Mossy green sofa. Gallery wall with original Max Wagner photo. Custom TV console with white oak top and leather pulls.